title: Epidermal growth factor receptor gene polymorphisms and gastric cancer in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane receptor which contributes to many processes involved in cell survival, proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, that may lead to cancer development. Gastric cancer is one of the most common diseases of digestive system that has low 5-year-survival. The aim of this research was to determine the significance of EGFR tyrosine kinase domain gene polymorphisms in gastric cancer in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, 83 patients with gastric cancer and 40 normal subjects were investigated for EGFR gene polymorphisms in exons 18-21 by PCR-SSCP. Then, DNA sequencing was conducted for different mobility shift bands. Finally the data were statistically analyzed using the chi-2 test and the SPSSver.16 program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exon 18 of EGFR gene showed three different bands in SSCP pattern and DNA sequencing displayed one mutation. SSCP pattern of Exons 19 and 21 did not show different migration bands. Exon 20 of EGFR gene revealed multiple migrate bands in SSCP pattern. DNA sequencing displayed 2 mutations in this exon: one mutation was caused amino acid change and another mutation was silent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be that EGFR tyrosine kinase gene polymorphisms differ between populations and screening could be useful in gastric cancer patients who might benefit from tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. abedianks@razi.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abediankenari
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jeivad
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors